


If You Don't See What I See

by PlayingChello



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-20
Updated: 2016-06-20
Packaged: 2018-07-16 07:17:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7257865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PlayingChello/pseuds/PlayingChello
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nero opens up about something he wants to do.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If You Don't See What I See

**Author's Note:**

> In the same universe as [Why Did I?](http://archiveofourown.org/works/5403878).
> 
> Harley made me watch The Office and we decided Jim and Pam were Dante and Nero from this AU so. This happened.

Nero’s thumb spins the ring on his finger furiously as he waits for his husband to come home. He has his laptop open on the kitchen table with a few tabs open with websites and he keeps glancing over, making sure everything is all set up. The clock ticks loudly and Nero’s heart pounds, the two sounds mingling and ringing in his ear. His breath shallows and he has to concentrate on counting seconds. Deep breath, hold for two, out for eight.

The ping of his phone has him nearly jumping out of his chair.

**_Text Message From: Neil_ **   
**_Gonna be late_ **

Nero reads the message over several times and sighs. Late. Again. Just more time for Nero to think about all the ways this conversation he wants to have can go wrong. More waiting.

Maybe he should call Dante.

After a few more minutes of anxious waiting, he decides to do that. Just a distraction from waiting. The phone rings and Dante’s answering “Yo,” has Nero breathing a sigh of relief and immediately relaxing into his chair. They talk about everything and nothing, just an excuse for Nero to pass the time.

He barely even notices when Neil walks in. It’s not until the phone is grabbed out of his hand that Nero realises his husband is home. He doesn’t even get to say goodbye to Dante before Neil hangs up on him and tosses the phone on the couch.

“I’m home.”

Nero looks to the phone on the couch, “I- welcome home.” He bites back a sigh and stands to give Neil a kiss. “How was your day?”

Neil grabs Nero’s waist and pulls him close roughly, “Long, could use some fun.”

Nero pulls back a bit, “Well I… I wanted-” but he can’t even finish before Neil is forcing Nero’s mouth open with his, controlling him with a kiss. His hands slide into the back of his jeans and squeeze. Nero doesn’t even register they’re moving until his back hits the wall and Neil’s hands are pulling his clothes off of him. Nero can’t get anything in edgewise, but it feels… nice. He feels wanted. Needed.

There’s a sharp pain as Nero sucks in a breath. Neil’s teeth are sunk into Nero’s neck, sucking a large bruise high on his neck, impossible to hide. His pants and boxers are pushed down all at once and Neil has his own pants pushed down his hips. Then he pushes Nero down expectantly.

Neil doesn’t warn Nero when he comes. He just pulls him down on him and holds him there. And when he pulls back, he pulls his jeans up and rights himself, leaving Nero on the floor.

He takes a moment there. Swallows a few times to try to clear the taste of come. Then, slowly, he puts himself back together. His muscles are a bit stiff from kneeling on the hard floor.

Once he gets up, he pours himself a glass of water, then goes to the bedroom where he saw Neil heading.

The other man is laying across the bed with his eyes closed, but Nero can see that he’s still awake. “Neil… Can I talk to you about something?”

“I’m kind of tired, Nero.”

It’s dismissive, but Nero has a rare moment of persistence. “It’ll just take a second. It’s important.”

Neil’s eyes open and his head lolls to look at Nero. There’s annoyance there, and it almost discourages Nero, but he presses on. “I… I want to go to art school.”

There’s a pause. To Nero, it seems to last for years. His heart feels like it stops.

And then Neil laughs.

Loud and strong and full. He sits up, just to double over with laughter. His eyes water and he looks at Nero with this look, “Are you _serious_? You can’t get anywhere doing _art_.”

Nero curls in on himself. He doesn’t know what to say. He opened himself, told Neil of his dreams, and he was shot down without so much as a thought. His ring starts spinning. “I-” he starts quietly, but it’s little more than a squeak. “I guess you’re right.”

He turns and starts walking from the room, but Neil stops him, “Where are you going? Come here.”

Nero hesitates. He wants to go somewhere… anywhere else. He wants to take a walk and be alone. But how does he say that? So he doesn’t. He turns back and climbs into the bed and lets Neil drape himself over him and keep him there, even as his mind reels and he has to blink back tears.

\--

It takes a few days before Nero manages to get together with Dante. They end up at their regular haunt, the nearby Taco Bell. Dante orders for them while Nero sips at his drink and stares at the table. When Dante sits down, complete with a tray full of food, he snaps in front of Nero’s face. “Hey, what’s up with you?”

Nero looks up and just stares at Dante. He looks the same as he always has. There’s stubble now, his coat has gone through a few upgrades. But he’s pretty much the same. Same strong jaw and hair hanging in his face. Same blue eyes that feel as if they’re staring into Nero’s soul. Staring and reading him as if he can never hide anything from the man. Dante knows everything about him, all his secrets and all of his fears.

He’s his best friend.

“It’s not important.” Because it’s not. It doesn’t matter that he wants to go to art school. He’s not good enough, Neil was right. So it’s a non issue.

Dante puts down the taco he’s already halfway through eating and looks at him more intently, “Of course it is. It’s important enough to be bugging you.”

He always does know how to make Nero feel a bit better. Like he matters. “It’s really nothing I just… I told Neil I was thinking about art school but… I don’t know. It’s not like it’ll go anywhere.”

Nero goes to take another sip from his cup and Dante pulls it out of his hands, “Did he tell you that?” Nero stares a long time before finally nodding slightly. Dante’s brow furrows and he looks… honestly, quite terrifying. “It doesn’t matter what he thinks. You can do _anything_. You should go, it doesn’t matter if it goes anywhere or not. Not if it’s what you want to do.” He sighs and puts Nero’s drink back in front of him. “‘Sides, you’re amazing. You’d do well in art school.”

“I-” Nero pauses. He rubs his shoulder and looks down at the table, picking at a seam in his shirt. “I’m not that good. And it’s expensive. It wouldn’t be worth it if it’s not going to go anywhere.”

“It will be worth it. You’ll learn and you’ll enjoy it. That’s what matters.” He pauses and his hand twitches a moment before he looks back into Nero’s eyes almost pleading, “Are you really going to let him convince you not to go?”

Nero stares at him and he can feel himself falling apart. Because, yes, he is going to let him convince him. Neil is his husband and they have to agree on things. And it’s not like he’s wrong, Nero probably isn’t good enough to do well and definitely not good enough to take it anywhere.

He picks up his food and takes a bite, “Just drop it, Dante. It doesn’t matter.”


End file.
